Jousters of Sanctuary
by R9-regrin9
Summary: Set after ‘Alta.’ Kiron has finally found a place where he can be part of each world he’s lived in. But this is short lived when Kalen and Gan bring in the news of an amassing army hiding out in the canyons across the desert.


Chapter One

Although the desert winds were mostly kept at bay by the surrounding cliffs, it was impossible to avoid them. The smoothened tunnels and rooms made the wind slide through the rock formations like oil on glass. Not that anyone was opposed to having the winds.

The kamiseen brought with it, scents that were familiar to the Tians living in Sanctuary. Scents of spices and dust - the smells of the desert. It may have been familiar to the Tians, but it was comforting to everyone.

To Kiron, not only was it comforting, but it was also familiar. The desert was as much of his home as was the humid Alta. He'd lived in both; though slaved would be a better term for Tia, he'd worked in both and he'd earned the respect from others in both. With his back to the sun and the wind in his face, Kiron braced himself as another gust of the kamiseen wind filtered through the canyon to where he stood on the jutting tower.

Breathing deeply, he allowed a flood of memories wash over him, well aware that he shouldn't indulge in the past. But he couldn't help but feel the pride wanting to knock down his reasoning. He'd come so far from what he had been. The thought sent a thrill down his back.

A slow grin spread across his face; closing his eyes and raising his arms, he allowed the wind to rush past him. It seemed like it was taking with it the fears he had and it felt good to be rid of those fears, if only momentary.

"That's the first smile I've seen on you're face in what seems like ages!"

Kiron didn't need to turn to see who spoke, but he did anyways, well aware of who it was going to be already by the deep timbre of the voice. "Ari," he acknowledged. His smile didn't falter, but its brightness did. Ari had come up for a purpose.

Ari's grin faded as he saw Kiron's expression dim. Pulling out a folded piece of parchment, Ari knelt and laid it flat on the ground. When the wind persisted in picking up its edges, he placed rocks on the corners to weigh it down.

Staring down over Ari's shoulders, Kiron speculated the map before his friend could say anything. It was the most recent Altan and Tian army movements; both appeared to be regrouping back in their home cities.

"What I see is good news for us and our countries, yet you have come here with something other news that does not sit well with you." Kiron's glance skipped to Ari's face.

Ari couldn't help but smirk, "You've learned to read me so well, and I still can't even decide what you're feeling at the simplest of times!" He dragged a finger along the map, following a river that flowed from Tia into Alta, it showed that groups of both country's armies were amassing at a point somewhere along it.

"Why haven't they returned with the main armies?"

"A justifiable question and one I can't answer I'm afraid. But I've spoken to Heklatis and he seems to think that they are either deserters or they've been ordered there."

As Kiron studied the map, he had a sinking feeling that it was most likely the latter. It was too big a group for just deserters, and there was no reason for both Tian and Altan to join forces so suddenly after the last conflict that had destroyed the Jousters.

"Who brought this information in?"

"It was Kalen and Gan."

Kiron rubbed a thumb on his chin, he didn't like the feeling spiraling its way down his spine, and he especially didn't like the fact that Kaleth hadn't seen anything. Something was happening and he was more than certain that the Magi were only partly responsible for this turn of event.

Ari waited patiently while his former dragon boy came to a decision. It had been an unspoken decision that Kiron become the leader of the small but fast growing group that lived in Sanctuary. Although he didn't care for the position, he had taken to it as naturally as any leader could.

"Gather the dragon riders and tell them to meet me in the guidance hall." He left it at that, knowing full well that Ari would follow _his_ orders to get his wing in the room. Trotting down the spiraling stair case, his mind went over and over again ideas that he'd been tossing around lately. All of them he didn't like.

The nine of them, plus Ari, were all crowding around the round table to get a better view of the map. Gan and Kalen pointing out smaller details that they had taken note of while they flew over head.

Kiron drilled them to the best of his ability, intent on having every memory they had of the area. He needed to know what this army of stragglers was doing, the only problem was that the area the army had hidden in was incredibly remote. Cliffs hung over much of the area beneath where they were obviously camping. It was impossible to fly low through the canyons to see anything more.

Gan and Kalen had only noted the movement by pure accident, thinking that it was odd for the rivers to be flowing so darkly for this season since the floods had not come to wash the plains. It was not the season.

Kalen looked up to Kiron and shrugged narrow shoulders, "I didn't even notice it, but Gan did. Good thing too. There was easily a few thousand collecting there when I saw it. Who's to say there isn't more now?"

A sly grin crossed Kiron handsome face. His jaw was square and his cheeks were darkly tanned as were the others from living on the edge of the desert. His shoulders had broadened, much to the pleasure of Kiron, and he'd gain some height too. A sparkle flashed in his eyes, "Exactly. Who's to say more haven't straggled in?"

Aket-ten's mind piercing gaze refocused on Kiron. Shaking her head she replied with daggers in her voice, "No one will be able to fly close enough. And no one will try." It wasn't a question, it was a fact – to her.

Orest snorted and attempted to cover it by coughing; he'd taken to the habit of going against anything his sister said just to rub her the wrong way. And he knew exactly how. Huras, understanding exactly what Orest was up to added to the coughing fit by adding his bout.

Fisted hands rested on Aket-ten's hips as she glared first at her brother than to Huras. "If I didn't know better, you two know something that I don't." Her gaze swung quickly back to Kiron, "Which means that you," she poked Kiron in the chest to emphasize her point, "are keeping something from me!"

Rubbing the spot, Kiron looked to Heklatis standing in the corner for aid.

Seeing where his gaze was directed, Aket-ten's followed. Her eyes widened briefly before they narrowed and she stomped over to the Healer. "So you're in this too?"

Heklatis raised a brow and replied simply, "Of course."

Nothing was said as they watched Aket-ten's hand clench and unclench at her sides. There was no telling how angry she was, she hated being excluded from anything, whether she understood it or not.

"I have discovered a way to cloak the dragons from being seen. Them and their riders; it is possible for you to try it out. I've made amulets where when the wearer is in hold of one, they will be transparent – not completely invisible – anything the wearer touches will also go into this state. The only downside to this is that in order for them to work, the amulet will be draining energy, much like how the Magi did, so maintain the illusion."

Again, nothing was said. The men of Kiron's Wing already knew this, knowing full well that Aket-ten wouldn't want to do anything that reminded her of the Magi and what they had done to her. And besides, it was possible that the drain of energy from her might do serious damage to her 'skills'.

"So this works best at night then?" Aket-ten asked quietly.

"That would be the ideal time to use it. During the day they could still be spotted, although not easily from the height they fly at, but if they were to explore the camps on the river, night or better yet, dawn is the best time. Dusk, the men will be more likely to be awake and notice something flickering in the sky." Heklatis unfolded his arms from across his chest and rubbed his smooth jaw line in contemplation, "Actually, I would say dawn. At night, you can't see much even with their fires going, you can only count fires, not men. But at dawn, there'll be plenty of light to get the general idea and the men will be too sluggish from sleep to notice anything but the food before them."

The men nodded their agreement and uniformly turned back to see what Aket-ten's reaction to this was. Hard to tell at best what she was feeling, Aket-ten's face remained a mask of indifference. She tapped a finger against her lips. Lips, which most of the men noticed were lush and red.

Kiron felt the jealously rise in him, not for the first time, although it was known that Aket-ten and he had a relationship, however serious it was no one knew for sure, the guys still didn't hesitate to goad Kiron into fits of jealousy. Not standing the stares that Aket-ten was receiving, Kirong broke the silence by slamming the flat of his hand on the map, making everyone jump. A few sent a smirk in Kiron's direction, well aware of why the distraction had taken place. He ignored these, "We've all decided to try it out and we go whether we have your approval or not."

"Fine, then we do this tomorrow." She countered.

"Are you out of your mind? Not you. You can't ...it could...you know!" Kiron knew he was faltering and making a bad situation worse. His ears began to burn too when he heard the others snickering behind their hands.

"I'll not be ruled over, Kiron. Remember what happened last time."

He cursed, and heartily too, "Don't you mean what happens every time?"

Again, more sniggers. Aket-ten always won the verbal battles between herself and pretty much every other male in Sanctuary, all except her brother. There wasn't even any point for Kiron to say anything more, he would lose.

As usual, Avatre was first in the air. Kiron couldn't help but wonder how acute dragons really were. She always seemed to know when Kiron was going out and notified one of the dragon boys, who attended all of the dragons at the compound since they were all kept together, by snapping at her harness.

Leaning over to the side, Kiron watched as the others stepped their dragons into pools of light cast by the flickering wall torches, as they did, the leaped into their saddles and strapped themselves in. The dragons launched off the rock and beat powerfully with their wings until they gained enough altitude to glide to a thermal close by.

Once the wing was in the air, including Kashet and Ari, Kiron lifted a silver whistle to his lips and gave two short blasts of air. The sweet notes carried on the air and the others fell into line forming a V as he guided Avatre down the canyon. They'd taken to using whistles for giving and receiving orders from one another instead of shouting till they were hoarse.

It was just after high moon and it would be a few hours before the sun would begin to make its journey across the sky, but they needed the time. It was going to be a long ride over the desert even with Heklatis' winds speeding them on their way.

Heklatis had found a sort of lode stone that collected natural energies and stored them within it. It was perfect for what he did, but Heklatis sill didn't approve of things that came by magic in seemingly unnatural ways. It didn't matter, in either way, it was aiding Kiron's wing immensely with doing their scouting.

Just as Kiron was beginning to lose hope of finding this place, Gan blew on his whistle to gain his attention. When Kiron glanced back over his shoulder, Gan and Kalen were both pointing down at a valley. Waving back, Kiron nudged Avatre in that direction and gripped her tightly with his knees as she made the steep descent.

Gan and Kalen had made it clear that from above it would be hard to see anything and that they'd have to enter the canyon the same way the soldiers had. The eroding waters had naturally dug their way through the rock for the past centuries and had formed large caverns beneath the rocky cliff above.

Another whistle blew and he knew this time that it had been carried magically to their ears by Heklatis. Obviously Kaleth had told him that they were nearing the encampment. Digging out the amulet from his saddle pack, Kiron carefully slipped it on over his head.

He immediately felt the pull of _something_ on his mind and body, though, visually, nothing happened. But then, perhaps he wasn't supposed to be able to see any difference. He didn't have time to look back to see if the others had disappeared for they were coming to the entrance of the river. But had he done so, he would have noticed that none of them were even remotely invisible.


End file.
